A Tale of Three Dreams
by TheOtherWriter101
Summary: The beginning of a story familiar, yet different. The story Scott has told us has been modified to suit new needs.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Beginnings**

A purple car pulled up to a small establishment. A man steps out, a black coat on and a purple scarf around his neck.

It was raining. There was not a patch of sky amidst the clouds. The man pulled out a packet of cigarettes and lit one. They helped him stay warm.

Looking upward, he smiled at the sign hanging above him. To read it was to read a promise that you could leave your problems at the door. That inside, there was nothing but leisure, whimsy, and adventure.

Fredbear's Family Diner. Three men had come together to fulfill there dreams, starting here. An artist, an inventor, and a patron.

William Afton opened the door and stepped inside. The puppet - a bizarre security system animatronic Henry had built - paid him no mind, it's white face staring blankly downward, like all deactivated machines. William walked past several tables, the few arcade machines the place had, and looked at the main stage.

There he was. Fredbear himself. A golden bear with a purple hat and bowtie, a smile on it's face, buck teeth sticking from it's muzzle. Green eyes shined with artificial hope.

Henry talked a lot about how he was the first in what would hopefully be a long line of joy-making machines. Singing songs, telling stories, there was no human-sized animatronic as advanced, as dynamic. It was a miracle, admittedly: William never thought he'd be able to make something like that. The hardest part was making the suits wearable by people: he never thought that was the safest idea, but the man with money insisted.

None of this would've been possible without the money.

Opening a door, he entered the office building. There was a man sitting at a desk waiting for him. The man also had a purple hat and bowtie, and a bright yellow tuxedo, juxtaposed against black hair and red eyes.

"Morning, Willy." The man smiled.

"Good morning, Cass." Afton said, taking a seat. Cassidy took out his pipe and joined William in having a smoke.

If Henry had the art, and William had the technical knowledge, then Cassidy had the spark. And the money. He made this all possible. Three college friends, and none of them would have anything if it wasn't for teamwork. If it wasn't for his generosity and how long they'd known each other, William probably wouldn't be so comfortable around him: dressed like that, it was clear to see the Cassidy was quite the oddball.

"We've had a good few days, wouldn't you say?" Cassidy said.

"Yes, I suppose so." William nodded.

Cassidy motioned around the room. "All of this, and we'll be opening a second location in a few days. And it all started with an idea. That's the thing, Willy: without ideas, there's nothing."

Cassidy then took on a questioning face, as if doubting himself. "Although, I suppose without the means, ideas are meaningless. Ah well, there are two schools of thought. My point, William, is that idea, _belief_, is one of the most powerful things in the world."

"Mmhmm." William nodded, kind of tuning him out at this point. Cassidy had a tendency to philosophize.

"Ah, but enough rambling." Cassidy said. "You're probably wondering why I called you here."

William raised an eyebrow, putting his cigarette out. Cassidy put his pipe away and folded his hands on the table.

"Y'see, William," Cassidy said, "I've been doing many different jobs for a very long time. And while I _am_ passionate about bringing joy to children - heck, _I_ created the Fredbear character - that isn't ... all that's happening here."

"What are you talking about?" William asked, confused.

Cassidy stood up, walked to the back wall of his office, and planted his hands against it. After a moment of shaking or clawing, he removed a fake wall and placed it off to the side.

He looked back at his colleague. Mr. Afton was staring, mouth agape.

"Come on." Cassidy smiled. "There's something I need to show you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Dreams**

_A man stands in the middle of a desert. The sky is black. There are no stars._

_Clouds of dust billow across the wastes, the rotting remains of buildings sticking up from the dunes of ash._

_He walked through the desolation, feet sinking into the mire with each step. He was tired. So very, very tired. He needed strength, and fast. He needed to find a way to escape the desolation._

_He heard whispers up ahead. He turned his gaze upward and saw a light before him. A red, blinking light floated in the air before him, pulsing with energy._

_The man smiled, green eyes glinting in the light. Exactly what he was looking for._

Children were cheering in the background. Fredbear was singing songs, dancing, doing his thing. It was a miracle they had become so popular, considering the establishment size. The kids liked that Fredbear could get off the stage, deliver food, all his little tricks. The other animatronics they had were a (somehow) cheap alternative for a security system, and a glorified balloon dispenser. Fredbear was the one the kids cheered for. The joy he created … it was almost supernatural.

On this splendid day, Henry Miller walked into the office of an old friend. Cassidy raised his mug, smiling.

"Henry! So good to see you. I presume that means the other location's open for business?"

"It is." Henry nodded contently. "You've been keeping the place in order."

Cassidy shrugged absentmindedly as he spun a globe. "This place runs itself, honestly."

He stopped the globe with his finger, landing on Moscow. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics sat emblazoned under Cassidy's gaze.

Cassidy paused. "... You ever read their history? Tragic stuff, honestly. Really tried somethin' …. Interesting, let's just say."

"What? Who?" Henry looked over and saw where Cassidy's finger was. "Oh, uh … I barely know anything about them and what I do know is bad, so…"

Cassidy chuckled. "Relax, Henry, I'm not contemplating treason. It's not working out as intended. Funny enough, some people still do believe. I knew this one guy…. What was his name? Old friend of mine, he moved their, left everything behind him. Last I heard he was working at a …. I don't know, something to do with energy. I wonder how he's doing ..."

Cassidy seemed to stare off into the distance for a second, before refocusing. He shook his head, clearing his throat. "Sorry, sorry, I'm- well, you know how it is."

Henry smiled and nodded. Indeed, he did know how it was. Cassidy sometimes would scare him with his wild ideas, but if there was one thing Henry could console himself with, it was that Cassidy was too easily distracted to really make 'supervillain' material. He was the definition of an absent-minded professor, shifting topics rapidly as if they were all the same conversation.

When Cassidy _did_ focus - and by the look in his eyes, he was about to - what he'd say could be downright _magnificent._

"Henry," Cassidy said warmly, "I owe you a great debt. All these dreams bouncing around in my head … and I didn't have any way to get it down in a way that felt right. If it weren't for you and William, none of this would be possible. You made this all possible."

"Pfft." Henry waves his hand. "You're the one who invented Fredbear. It was your idea to do a Diner in the first place… why is he named Fredbear again?"

"I've told you this story but I'll gladly say it again, it's a funny one." Cassidy smiled. "When I was little, kids would think that 'Cassidy' sounded like a girl's name. Much more so with shorter versions of it, like 'Cass' or 'Cassie.' So, I decided to go by a generic 'boys name' for a while, to avoid bullying. First through fourth grade, people called me Fred."

Henry laughed. "That's pretty funny."

"I know!" Cassidy smiled back. "I don't know why, I just really liked the name."

"Okay, Fred." Henry shook his head. "So, what do we do now?"

"Well, I suppose you're break is gonna be done soon." Cassidy said. "Best not keep William waiting. Besides, it's about time I see the place."

"Wait," Henry said, "We need someone here."

"Relax, I got Amelia to do it."

Henry nodded. Mrs. Afton knew how to deal with kids. "Then I guess we can go."

"About time." Cassidy smiled, as he followed his friend to a new horizon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The new and improved Fredbear's Family Diner. A larger stage, a larger building, more games and more food. It was in the neighboring down, a five-hour drive, if traffic was good. The place was just closing down when Henry and Cassidy arrived.

William Afton was standing outside to greet them. He had a cigar between his teeth, and a tired but satisfied look in his eyes. He seemed to always be the darkest of the three in disposition: Henry the optimistic designer, Cassidy the eccentric showman (and financier), and William the grim technician. William drank and smoked plentifully. He'd lose his temper (he'd apologize later for it, but still). Even back at uni, his friends felt there was a darkness around him.

Regardless, here, he smiled. He got through the opening day of the second Fredbear's location. The dream was coming to life, right before his eyes.

"Willy!" Cassidy said his affectionate nickname, pointing finger guns. "How's everything going?"

"Well, I suppose." William nodded. "You?"

"Oh, absolutely splendid!" Cassidy smiled. "I presume the new animatronic is working fine?"

"Mhm." William looked back to the restaurant. "Spring Bonnie's ready to entertain."

Cassidy chuckled. "I'm excited for what all this means. Why, this place…"

Cassidy had a far off look in his eyes. "I can see it now. What we will build here … it's gonna be beautiful."

"Whatever you say, dreamer." William said. "I, for one, am glad the day's done. Kids leave me absolutely winded."

"Let's go in then, shall we?" Cassidy said. And the three entered.

As they walked in, it immediately became clear how much larger the new venue was. Arcade machines were clustered on the sides, a ball pit sat to the left, a full pizza kitchen and prize shop to the right. And ahead, the stage.

Spring Bonnie stood upon the stage, as did the new and improved Fredbear. This one was bulkier, with a larger gut and head. Cassidy sighed.

"I'm always a fan of the originals." Cassidy said. "This one looks hard to wear. I mean, look at it."

"More an animatronic than a costume." Henry said. "Thought a more bulky appearance would be more appealing to the kids. Y'know, like santa."

Cassidy nodded. "Yeah, I get you."

"I mean, while we're on the subject, the original Fredbear suit is kinda creepy." Henry said. "It's always grinning…"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Cassidy said. "I think it's fine, considering _I designed it."_

"Let's… change the subject." William butted in, sensing the tension. "I've got us some employees for this place. Two will be coming around tomorrow to try on the suits."

"Great job." Cassidy smiled. "Everything's on schedule, then."

"Hey, uh, William, where's the bathroom?" Henry asked awkwardly. "Long car ride."

William snorted. "It's over there."

"Thanks." And off he goes.

"... Are we going to tell him?" William asked when he was gone.

"Of course not." Cassidy sighed. "He's not ready."

"Not yet."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

There were stairs behind the false wall. Cassidy lead William down them. To say Afton was on edge would be an understatement. He had no idea how Cassidy had kept this from him and Henry, but somehow he had. This was completely uncharted territory, and it was right beneath something he had helped to build.

At the bottom of the stairs was a turnaround, and another flight of stairs. Then, directly beneath Fredbear's Family Diner, Cassidy got out some keys and undid a padlock. A door creaked open.

Inside was quite a sight. A few spare animatronic suits sat in the corner. A desk rested against the left table, a stack of papers on the side. And at the center of the room was an operating table, metal hooks holding open the guts of a squirrel.

"What... what the hell is this?" William muttered.

"This?" Cassidy asked innocently. "This is the future, William. This is what we've been building towards our entire lives.**"**

William was silent from shock and confusion. What... what was even happening? Cassidy walked over to the contraption holding the squirrel open. He pressed a button, grabbed a cup from the table and held it under a faucet. A glowing, pale blue liquid came out. He walked back to William and handed him the cup.

"Drink this."

"... Cass, this came out of... whatever the hell that is, and it looks like glowstick juice-"

"Just drink it!" Cassidy insisted.

"Al-alright!" William said, taking the cup. He looked at the strange operating table - then back at Cassidy's expectant, excited gaze - and took the tiniest sip.

Almost immediately, something changed. His hair stood on end. A warm, pleasant feeling filled him. He felt alert, energetic, aches and itches faded fast. He almost felt younger.

"... Cass, what the hell is going on?"

Cassidy laughed, taking the cup back. "This ... is a little project of mine. One that I did **not** get university money for, because of how far out it is. I've been saving up for this for years, and this has been the perfect venue to start my masterpiece."

William was doing his best not to flip the fuck out. "You need to explain right now." He said blankly.

"Alright, alright." Cassidy said. "This," he raised the cup, "is Remnant. Non-corporeal soul-matter. What we normally can't perceive and interact with beyond it's gravitational impact - what we call Dark Energy. I've found a way to convert it into a consumable substance. One that, quite literally, is like eating Life itself."

He walked back to the operating table. "Watch this."

He poured the liquid into a funnel and pulled a switch. A whirring sound came from the table as chords connected to the corpse started pumping.

The squirrel spasmed back to life and started shrieking, writhing and thrashing but held in place by the machine. William took a step back. There was no way in hell that thing could be alive, but it was. It was alive, and it was screaming. Cassidy flipped another switch and the thing went still.

"I want you to take a second to process the implications of all this." Cassidy said.

William was dead quiet. Then...

"How... how is any of this possible?" He asked finally.

Cassidy shrugged. "No idea. My crazy brain told me in a dream to try mixing actual science with occult shit on the internet. And it worked. No one believed me, but it's **worked.**"

Cassidy hesitated. "Well... it worked with this one. If I had to tell you the number of dead squirrels I've had to bury..."

"Is experimenting with animals off the street even legal?" William asked.

Cassidy looked at him, then burst out laughing. "Th-that's what you're worried about? Willy, I'm on the cusp of proving **souls exist**! Who cares if it's legal or not?"

William blinked and shook his head. "This... this is too much, I need a minute." He fumbled for his pocket and pulled out a packet of cigarettes. Hands shaking, he pulled one out and stuck it in his mouth, lighting it a few seconds later.

"Take your time." Cassidy said, looking down at the machine. He reached down, turned something, and pulled a smaller device out of the larger surgical construct. It was a roughly diamond-shaped piece of metal, a line along the middle, with wires at each end. Strange hexagrammatic symbols were carved into the two segments, and there was a crank on the side. Cassidy turned the crank and music started coming from it.

William froze. It was a music box. It was playing the song Cassidy had wrote as Fredbear's main theme. What he'd sing at the beginning and end of each day. Afton walked over to the desk as the familiar music drifted through the air, looking down at the stack of papers. They were covered in what looked like abstract math equations you'd find in a astrophysics class, and some weird symbols you'd find in a fringe documentary about magic and the devil. It looked like the notebook of a madman, and it was then William was grossly reminded of Cassidy's condition.

"William." Cassidy said solemnly. "I know this all seems crazy, but you've seen it work. You reaped the benefits, and you watched a dead animal come back. I'm showing you all this because I trust you. Because if we work together, we can do more than give kids joy as another pizzeria: we can change the world. Forever. Imagine what could come out of this. Just a few more years, just a little more research ... and I'll be able to prove it all. Will you help me?"

William was silent for a long while. Then...

"... Alright, screw it."

Cassidy smiled and patted his shoulder. "Good man. I promise you, this is the start of something beautiful."

"What we will create ... it'll be joyous. I can guarantee it."


End file.
